Field kit.
The tools that come out of the van on a real survey — damp meters, thermal cameras, borescopes, ladders and the rest — compared feature by feature through a surveyor’s eyes. One clear pick per category, then the alternatives, compared honestly.
Damp, air & diagnostics
038 16 Jul 2026The best inspection mirrors for voids and tight spaces
What a mirror on a stick can see that a torch alone can’t, ball joints versus simple hinges, where the LEDs should sit, and seven worth buying.
034 12 Jul 2026The best mould test kits, and when they’re not enough
What a DIY mould test kit can actually tell you, where a single petri dish stops being useful, and six kits worth buying when a kit is the right tool.
033 11 Jul 2026The best moisture traps for damp cupboards and caravans
What passive moisture absorbers actually do in a sealed cupboard or caravan, where they run out of road, and seven worth buying.
004 16 May 2026The best damp meters for walls and timber
Pin, pinless and the Protimeter question. What the readings actually mean, where meters lie to you, and the ones worth carrying.
007 23 May 2026The best thermal imaging cameras for heat loss and damp
Phone plug-ins to professional handhelds. The resolution that matters, the conditions you need, and what thermal can and cannot see.
010 30 May 2026The best borescopes for cavity walls and hidden voids
A 10mm hole and the right camera answer questions that otherwise cost thousands. USB sticks to dual-lens professional probes.
002 12 May 2026Best dehumidifiers for damp and condensation
A surveyor's guide to the best dehumidifier for damp and condensation — desiccant vs compressor, honest extraction figures, running costs, and eight worth buying.
012 4 Jun 2026The best hygrometers and humidity monitors
A surveyor's guide to the best hygrometers and humidity monitors — why logging beats spot readings for condensation and mould, and seven worth buying.
032 10 Jul 2026The best air quality monitors for surveyors
Genuine CO2 sensors versus guesswork, what the numbers mean for ventilation and condensation risk, and seven air quality monitors worth buying.
027 6 Jul 2026The best radon detectors for UK homes, compared
A working surveyor's guide to the best radon detectors for the home — Bq/m³ and the UK action level explained, digital monitors vs lab test kits, seven picks.
017 16 Jun 2026The best gas leak detectors for home checks
A working surveyor's guide to the best gas leak detectors — handheld sniffers, plug-in gas alarms, EN 50194, and why a suspected leak means 0800 111 999.
003 14 May 2026The best carbon monoxide detectors and alarms
A surveyor's guide to the best carbon monoxide detectors — EN 50291 certification, the 2022 landlord rules, CO alarm placement, and seven alarms worth buying.
Measurement & detection
013 6 Jun 2026The best laser measures for floor plans and surveys
Every survey starts by measuring the house. The Leica question, the Bosch alternatives, and the £25 options that are better than they should be.
026 3 Jul 2026The best laser levels for checking floors, walls and settlement
A line laser is a diagnostic tool in an old building. Green versus red, self-levelling, and quantifying a sloping floor honestly.
005 19 May 2026The best spirit levels for survey work
A surveyor's guide to the best spirit levels — vial accuracy, why length matters, the flip test, digital levels for recording falls, and seven worth buying.
030 9 Jul 2026The best tape measures for survey work
A working surveyor's guide to the best tape measures — real standout, blade width, EC accuracy classes, why the hook is loose, and seven tapes worth buying.
049 23 Jul 2026The best digital angle finders
Two-arm protractors versus magnetic angle gauges, what actually matters for roof pitch and staircase checks, and seven digital angle finders worth buying.
028 7 Jul 2026The best anemometers for ventilation testing
Condensation and mould are usually ventilation failures. Measuring extract rates properly — vane meters, hoods and a word on CO2 monitors.
035 13 Jul 2026The best smoke pens for draught detection
How smoke pens actually work, what Part F ventilation checks need them for, and seven worth buying, from a £6 tub of matches to a £90 professional kit.
029 8 Jul 2026The best crack monitors and gauges for walls
A surveyor's guide to the best crack monitors and gauges — tell-tale crack monitors, crack width gauge cards, callipers, BRE categories and when to worry.
006 21 May 2026The best stud finders for UK walls, compared
A surveyor's guide to the best stud finders and wall scanners — capacitive vs radar, lath-and-plaster, live-wire limits, and seven detectors worth buying.
020 23 Jun 2026The best cable detectors for UK walls
A surveyor's guide to the best cable detectors and pipe detectors for UK walls — what they really find, depth limits, and when a CAT scanner earns its hire.
018 18 Jun 2026The best voltage testers for basic checks
A surveyor's guide to voltage testers and multimeters — why two-pole testers rule, what GS38 and CAT ratings mean, and eight testers worth buying.
Access, light & lofts
016 13 Jun 2026The best telescopic ladders for surveyors and loft access
The most-used item in the car. EN 131 Professional or nothing, soft-close mechanisms, and the ones that survive daily use.
014 9 Jun 2026The best scaffold towers for home and light trade work
A working surveyor's guide to the best scaffold towers — EN 1004 vs DIY towers, honest platform heights, stabilisers, hire-or-buy arithmetic, and six worth buying.
019 20 Jun 2026The best SDS drills for cavity wall inspection holes
A clean 10–12mm hole through a mortar joint, made good afterwards. The cordless SDS drills that do it without drama.
022 27 Jun 2026The best head torches for lofts and crawl spaces
Both hands are for the ladder. Flood beams, honest battery life and colour rendering good enough to judge staining by.
023 30 Jun 2026The best work lights for lofts, cellars and site
A surveyor's guide to the best work lights for lofts and cellars — honest lumens, CRI for evidence photos, magnetic bases and seven lights worth buying.
031 10 Jul 2026The best drones for roof inspections
Twenty minutes of flying replaces a scaffold quote. Sub-250g rules, CAA registration, insurance, and the drones that earn their keep.
025 2 Jul 2026The best binoculars for roof inspections
A surveyor's guide to the best binoculars for roof inspections — 8x vs 10x, weight, image stabilisation, and seven pairs worth buying in the UK.
056 25 Jul 2026Best RCD extension leads for site work
Cable reels, plug-in adaptors and in-line units compared, what actually protects a whole cable run versus just the tool end, and seven worth buying.
062 28 Jul 2026The best step ladders for indoor survey work
Platform steps, fibreglass swingbacks and a quick-job stool compared — EN131 Professional versus the domestic-grade stools, and which one earns a place in the boot.
065 29 Jul 2026The best cordless screwdrivers for survey work
Meter cupboards, access panels and loft hatch battens compared — torque control over raw power, why a 50-piece bit set is mostly padding, and seven cordless screwdrivers worth carrying.
068 30 Jul 2026The best pocket multitools for survey work
Pliers quality over tool count, why a locking blade is a legal question in the UK and not just a spec, and seven pocket multitools worth carrying.
074 1 Aug 2026The best sack trucks for survey work
Stair-climbing carts for flats without lifts versus standard folding trucks for the van, what a triangular wheel cluster actually buys you, and six worth buying.
080 3 Aug 2026The best roof ladders for survey work
Dedicated roof ladders versus ridge-hook conversion kits, roof pitch limits, and why it’s always a two-person job — six worth buying.
Drainage
011 2 Jun 2026The best drain rods, compared for survey work
A working surveyor's guide to the best drain rods — universal vs lockfast joints, why you only ever turn clockwise, and eight sets worth buying.
024 1 Jul 2026Best manhole keys for lifting inspection covers
A working surveyor's guide to the best manhole keys and cover lifters — key patterns, freeing seized covers without injury, and eight sets worth buying.
Site tech & data
077 2 Aug 2026The best padlocks for site and van security
Weatherproofing, CEN ratings and shackle types explained, why keyed-alike sets matter for the van and site kit, and six padlocks worth buying.
071 31 Jul 2026The best label printers for survey work
Durable labels for samples, evidence and meter cupboards versus cheap direct-thermal fading, and seven label printers worth carrying.
059 27 Jul 2026Best van security locks for tool theft
Slamlocks, lock protectors, steering locks and OBD guards compared, what actually stops peel-and-steal attacks, and seven products worth fitting to a work van.
046 22 Jul 2026The best dash cams for van work
Why hardwired parking mode matters more than resolution, what a GPS overlay is actually worth as evidence, and seven dash cams worth fitting to a work van.
037 15 Jul 2026The best rugged tablets for site and survey work
IP68 versus MIL-STD-810H, why screen glare and glove sensitivity matter more than spec-sheet numbers, and eight rugged tablets worth carrying on site.
Wear & carry
041 20 Jul 2026The best hard hats for survey and site work
EN397 vs EN812 explained, why a bump cap isn’t a hard hat substitute, when a loft hatch calls for one and not the other, and seven worth buying.
039 18 Jul 2026The best safety glasses for survey work
Anti-fog coatings that actually work, what EN166 marking really promises, PPE stacking with ear defenders, and seven pairs worth buying.
036 14 Jul 2026The best work trousers for kneeling and crawling
How knee pocket position and holster placement matter more than pocket count, and eight pairs of work trousers worth buying for site and survey work.
008 26 May 2026The best safety boots for site and survey work
A working surveyor's guide to the best safety boots — S1P vs S3, composite vs steel toe, lightweight safety trainers vs boots, and seven picks worth buying.
015 11 Jun 2026The best ear defenders for site and workshop
A working surveyor's guide to the best ear defenders for site and workshop — SNR decoded, passive vs electronic, comfort over a full day, and eight worth buying.
021 25 Jun 2026The best knee pads for work, compared
A working surveyor's guide to the best knee pads for work — trouser inserts vs strap-ons, gel vs foam, EN 14404, and seven pads worth buying.
009 28 May 2026Best tool bags and backpacks for survey work
A working surveyor's guide to the best tool bag for instruments — backpack vs tote vs wheels, padded pockets for meters and cameras, and eight bags worth buying.
053 24 Jul 2026The best tool boxes for van storage
Modular stacking boxes, a secure vault and clear crates compared, what actually keeps a survey van organised, and seven products worth buying.